Submarine cargo terminal

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a terminal for use in the marine transportation of cargo from, to or through regions in which surface transportation is undesirable. The apparatus in which the cargo is transported is a submarine cargo vessel. This submarine cargo vessel is loaded and unloaded at an underwater terminal comprising a structure functioning much as an underwater hangar such that the submarine cargo vessel may &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;surface&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; underwater where it may be loaded or unloaded and where certain work may be performed on the vessel.

Umted States Patent 1191 1111 3,910,057

Fenton Oct. 7, 1975 [541 SUBMARINE CARGO TERMINAL 3,707,934 1/1973 Frankel 114/230 [75] Inventor: George E. Fenton, Newport News,

Va. Primary Exammer-Trygve M. Bl1x I Assistant Examiner-Stuart M. Goldstein 1 1 Asslgneei Newport News shlpbulldmg and Dry Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clifford N. Rosen Dock Company, Newport News, Va.

[22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 497,980 This invention consists of a terminal for use in the marine transportation of cargo from, to or through re- [52] US. Cl 61/46; 114/230 gions in which surface transportation is undesirable. [51] Int. C1. B63C 11/00; B638 21/00 The apparatus in which the cargo is transported is a [58] Field of Search 61/69 R, 69 A, 46, 68; submarine cargo vessel. This submarine cargo vessel is 114.5 BD, .5 R, 230, 16 R, 43.5 VC, loaded and unloaded at an underwater terminal com- 114/167, 16.5 prising a structure functioning much as an underwater hangar such that the submarine cargo vessel may sur- [56] References Cited face underwater where it may be loaded or unloaded UNITED STATES PATENTS and where certain work may be performed on the ves- 3,344,614 10/1967 Byck 61/69 R sel. 3,379,022 4/1968 Welton 3,698,197 10/1972 Bodey et a1 61/69 x 1 Clalm, 2 Drawmg Flgures n 1 H 6\ M 7-3 w M AI /m L US. Patent Oct. 7,1975

F/G.Z

SUBMARTNE CARGU TEPtl /llbh iL BACKGROUND OF THE lNV'ENTlON A. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to the submarine transportation of cargoes between points where the condition of the ocean makes surface transportation impossible or undesirable and more specifically to an underwater terminal where the vessel may be loaded or unloaded and serviced.

B. Description of the Prior Art The prior art contains many references'to the use of submarines for the transportation of cargo. Examples are found in US. Pat. Nos. 2,989,937; 3,085,533; 3,648,635; 3,704,678; 3,080,583.

it is also known to have submarines adapted for traveling under ice. Such is shown for example in US. Pat. No. 1,868,948.

Many different types of underwater or floating storage tanks and terminals are also known in the prior art. Examples of these are in US. Pat. Nos. 2,655,888; 3,299,645; 3,548,516; 3,552,132; 3,646,771, and 3,698,197.

SUMMARY UP THE lNVENTlON My invention is a terminal for use in the transportation of cargo by water between a producing point and a consuming point, and is particularly adapted for use where surface conditions at either one or both ends of the voyage, or enroute, render surface transportation impossible or undesirable.

My terminal comprises a special structure which allows the submarine bulk cargo vessel to surface under water. This structure contains an air space pressurized to the same extent as the waters surrounding the structure, thereby excluding water and providing a free surface within the structure with a hyperbaric air space above it. After surfacing into this hyperbaric air space the submarine cargo vessel may be loaded or unloaded. Alternatively, the vessel may be of the type described in another US. Patent application assigned to the same assignee, and may use my terminal for dropping of a loaded cargo section and picking up an empty one. or vice versa. Means are also provided inside this structure for transfer of crew, provisions, stores, etc. if desired, work may be performed in the hyperbaric atmosphere on the accessible parts or the submarine cargo vessel.

While the prior art, as pointed out above, does show various types of underwater terminals, none shows a submarine terminal containing a hyperbaric air space into which a submarine vessel may surface.

BRZEF DESCRllTlON 01 THE DRA'WZNGS HO. 1 is a transverse section of the submarine terminal according to the invention.

REG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the submarine terminal taken along the line 2-2 of Fit}. 1.

DESCRlPTlON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODlh/lENT A terminal arrangement according to my invention may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. in this embodiment the terminal is located in the Arctic where a layer ofice l covers the ocean and renders surface transportation impractical. What may be termed a submarine hanger 2 is built offshore in water of such depth as to remove the structure from surface influences such as storms or ice and yet provide enough depth for maneuverability of submarine cargo vessels.

The hangar 2, is in effect an inverted box and may for example be anchored to the sea floor 3 by means of the legs The box is comprised on one side by the roof 5 and on four sides by tie walls 6. These five sides enclose a space 7 which is at the same pressure as the surrounding sea water suchthat water is excluded from the inside of the structure thereby forming a hyperbaric space that is, a space in which the pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure above the free surface The space may have any gas or gases in it. such as air. The side walls extend below the free surface 8 several feet to contain leaks or spills which may occur in the hangar 2..

Extending approximately down the middle of the hangar 2 is a pier 9 which has provisions for docking submarine cargo vessels ill. i iounted on the pier 9 is a control space ll which is at atmospheric pressure. it may be equipped with an air lock (not shown) for entry into the hyperbaric space 7. Living quarters and other amenities may be provided in the control space for the terminal crew.

Extending from the control space ii is a transfer trunk which serves for transferring personnel, stores, etc. from the submarine cargo vessel Ml into the control space The control space ll in turn is connected to an elevator and service shaft 17 which con nects with a tunnel l which may for example extend to shore (not shown).

Also on the pier 9 are facilities 14 for loading or unloading the submarine cargo vessel. These may be for example in the form of a loading arm 14 which connects with a cargo riser l5 shown particularly in FlG. 2. The cargo riser 15 connects with the cargo transport means 16 which parallels the tunnel l3 running to shore. This embodiment is particularly adapted for fluid bull; cargo but other arrangements are contemplated for other types of cargo. The transfer trunk may be used to load and unload passengers from the vessel ill.

The submarine cargo vessel ll} shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is ofa form described and claimed in another US. Pa tent application assigned to the same assignee. it com prises a propulsion module 21) and a cargo section 3 detachable from the propulsion module. The hangar f2 be used for loading or unloading this submarine cargo vessel 10, as is described above, or it may be used if any type of routine or emer ency repair work is necessary on the submarine cargo vessel. The advantage: or" being able to do such worlt in the hyperbaric space '7 rather than under water are tremendous as is well known in this art.

As a furt ier alternative, the propulsion module 2? could detach from the cargo section 2i and then pic: up another cargo section in the hangar 2 the one the left in 1 for example, which could have be moored in the hangar serving as a storage tank as described in the patent application noted above.

While the drawings show a hangar 2 adapted to dOCl-I two submarine cargo vessels at one time, the structure need not be thus limited. it could be designed to hold any number of such vessels. in any case, however, it would probably be desirable (but not necessary) to isolate the bays from one another for safety. A leak at an isolated location then would notjeopardize all the bays.

My underwater terminal could be used at both ends of a trade route, for example the route bringing crude oil from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to the East Coast of the United States. Whereas ice is no problem off the East Coast, it may be desirable that the terminal be free of all weather influences. It would also be totally out of sight, which is a highly desirable feature for industrial facilities in this day and age. More importantly, it would present no obstruction at all to surface ship traffic which would serve greatly to reduce the hazard of oil spills.

What I claim is: l. A terminal for submarine vessels comprising:

said submarine vessels in said space. 

1. A terminal for submarine vessels comprising: a structure fixed entirely beneath the surface of a body of water; said structure containing a space empty of water open on at least one side to the body of water; the pressure in said space being at the same pressure as the surrounding water such that said water is excluded from said space; pier means on the surface of the water in said space; means for loading and unloading cargo from said submarine vessel in said space; and means giving humans access to the exterior of said submarine vessels in said space. 